1734-1737 Construction of the Great Dutch House

from 1738 House of the Commandant

1806-1808 Equine hospital of the French army

1809-1817 Seat of Potsdam City Council

1818-1820 Building conversion to Potsdam municipal court; stables converted into a prison

1907-1910 Court building rebuilt; new construction of the prison in its current form

From 1910 Local court; regional court prison

1934-1944 Hereditary Health Court in the National Socialist era

1933-1945 Court prison for the politically and racially persecuted under the National Socialist regime

27 April 1945 Prisoners liberated by the Red Army

1945-1952 Central Soviet secret police prison for the State of Brandenburg (NKWD/MGB); location of the Soviet military tribunals

1952-1989 Remand prison of the Ministry for State Security (Stasi) for the Potsdam district

27 October 1989 Release of the last political prisoners

5 December 1989 A citizens’ committee gains entry to the Lindenstrasse remand prison and ensures that all political prisoners have been released

January 1990 The Ministry for State Security returns the complex at Lindenstrasse 54/55 to the City of Potsdam

12 January 1990 Civic initiatives and new parties, such as New Forum (Neues Forum) and the SDP (German Social Democratic Party), open offices at Lindenstrasse 54/55. What was once a prison becomes a House of Democracy.

20 January 1990 Former prison site open to the public for the first time

1990-2007 Seat of the Office for the Protection of Historical Monuments of the State Capital Potsdam

19 February 1995 “Lindenstrasse 54 support association” founded

4 October 1995 Granted memorial site status by Potsdam City Council

2002 Schools project workshop established by the Ministry for Education of the Federal State of Brandenburg

2007-2013 Permanent exhibition established by Potsdam Museum and the Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam

2015-2016 Stiftung Gedenkstätte Lindenstrasse established. The Foundation starts its activities.